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Apple has officially released iOS 8.1.1 to the public, a minor maintenance release that notes “bug fixes” as well as “stability and performance improvements” for the older iPhone 4S and iPad 2 models. iOS 8.1.1 is available as an over-the-air update or by updating via iTunes on a Mac or PC.

The U.S. Government’s Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) has posted an official alert regarding the iOS Masque Attack disclosed earlier this week. The notice summarizes the vulnerability, specifically noting that the vulnerability works “under a limited set of circumstances” and that “in order for the attack to succeed, a user must install an untrusted app, such as one delivered through a phishing link.” The bulletin goes on to reiterate the solutions provided by the original report: specifically that users should not install apps from sources other than Apple’s App Store or their own enterprise organization, should never click install from an app pop-up that appears on a web page, and if iOS shows an “Untrusted App Developer” alert, click on “Don’t Trust” and remove the app.

A new analysis by AnandTech of the A8X’s GPU used in Apple’s new iPad Air 2 has revealed some surprising details regarding the new chip’s design and performance. While AnandTech initially thought that that GPU was based on Imagination’s PowerVR GX6650 – a 6-cluster GPU that currently represents the largest of Imagination’s GPU designs – additional investigation reveals that the GPU design has likely been customized by Apple for even higher performance, resulting in a GPU design that AnandTech has dubbed the GX6850. GFXBench measures the iPad Air 2’s performance at double the fill rate found on the A8-equipped Phone 6 Plus, and notes that Apple tends to have a preference for larger bus widths and lower clock speeds for the sake of energy efficiency, suggesting that Apple chose to build a custom eight-cluster design with this in mind. An unreleased die shot of the A8X confirmed to Anandtech that the new GPU design is essentially just two of the A8’s four-cluster GX6450s stacked together. Interestingly, the analysis notes that the iPad Air 2 is “overweight” in terms of GPU performance compared to the iPhone 6 Plus, providing roughly 30 percent better performance per pixel.

New reports reveal that both AT&T and Verizon have been using unique identifying information to track web activity for their respective mobile customers. According to Wired, Verizon has been “subtly altering” web traffic from its wireless customers for the past two years in order to insert a unique identifier header, or UIDH, that allows the company to identify users on the web and target its Internet advertising. This “perma-cookie” — as termed by Jacob Hoffman-Andrews of the Electronic Frontier Foundation — allows any web server to build a profile of a user’s Internet habits. Since Verizon is able to take advantage of its unique position as the Internet Service Provider to actually modify traffic midstream, this method also has the potential to circumvent existing privacy tools such as private browsing sessions and “do not track” restrictions. At this time, there is no way to turn off this UIDH feature, according to a Verizon spokesperson. The company notes that it does not use the feature to create customer profiles, but only targeted ads for those users who have not opted out of the company’s Relevant Mobile Advertising program. Verizon customers can choose to opt out by visiting https://www.vzw.com/myprivacy, however Hoffman-Andrews points out that because the UIDH is broadcast to every web site that a Verizon user visits, other ad networks could begin leveraging the identifier themselves to profile Verizon users’ web activity even without the company’s involvement.

AT&T also appears to have begun testing its own unique mobile tracking solution, according to another report from Forbes. While AT&T claims to only be “testing” the system for now, the company claims to be building in its own privacy measures by rotating the unique identifier every 24 hours. However, the security researcher who discovered the tracking, Kenneth White, states that this is “categorically untrue,” noting that he has found three identifying codes sent by AT&T that were persistent. An AT&T spokesperson declined to reveal how long the test had been running, saying only that it has been a “little while” and claims that customers will be able to opt out of any future AT&T programs that might use this code, noting that unlike Verizon, AT&T will not include the code at all for customers who have chosen to opt out. Users can see if they’re affected by visiting http://205.234.28.93/mobileoptout/ using a cellular data connection from their AT&T mobile device.

In either case, users can check to see if their devices are broadcasting a mobile identifier by visiting http://lessonslearned.org/sniff, a site setup by Kenneth White, the security researcher who discovered the tracking. [via MacRumors]

Users who activate Apple’s own SIM card to use an AT&T data plan with the Wi-Fi + Cellular models of iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3 are finding the SIM will lock itself to AT&T, and can no longer be used by another network. Though it appeared the SIM card would be interchangeable between AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile — though not Verizon — it’s not the case with AT&T. The issue was confirmed by Re/code through AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel, who said users will need another SIM card to switch carriers, as the device remains unlocked. Why did AT&T decide to lock its card, unlike T-Mobile or Sprint? Siegel said “it’s just simply the way we’ve chosen to do it.” An Apple support document notes: “If your Apple SIM becomes dedicated to a specific network and you want to choose from other carrier programs, you can purchase a new Apple SIM from an Apple Retail store.” T-Mobile CEO John Legere tweeted a screenshot of AT&T’s SIM card prompt on Thursday. [via MacRumors]

iLounge has posted an unboxing and comparison gallery for Apple’s new iPad mini 3. In a full photo gallery, we take a closer look at Apple’s newest mini tablet, along with photos comparing the iPad mini 3 to other Apple devices. More pictures will be added throughout the day. Also be sure to check out Wednesday’s iPad Air 2 gallery, and check back soon for our full reviews of both new iPads.

With the removal of the side switch from the new iPad Air 2, Apple has added separate mute and rotation buttons to the iOS 8.1 Control Center to replace the missing functionality, exclusive to the new device. The switch itself has had something of an identity crisis over the years, with Apple originally debuting it as a rotation lock when the iPad was first released, then later unceremoniously changing it to a mute switch before finally giving users a choice as to its function. The iOS Control Center has traditionally included a button to toggle whichever of the two functions was not assigned to the side switch; Apple has now removed the switch and simply added controls for both settings into the Control Center.

Our initial look at the iPad Air 2 reveals that Apple is bundling a 10W/2.1A power adapter with its newest iPad model – a step back down from the 12W/2.4A unit that has been included with the last two generations of full-sized iPad models. While a 10W power adapter would theoretically require longer charging times, iFixit’s recent teardown confirmed that the iPad Air 2 contains a smaller battery than its predecessor, suggesting a possible justification for the lower-powered adapter. It remains to be seen how much of a practical impact this will have, if any, in real-world use; the Air 2 may not charge any faster with the more powerful adapter.

iFixit has posted its complete teardown of the iPad Air 2, revealing some new details and confirming most of the specs. The article notes that Apple has revised a lot of the hardware from last year’s iPad Air, including: a fully laminated 9.7” IPS multi-touch LCD with 2,048 x 1,536 resolution at 264 ppi and an anti-reflective coating, the expected A8X 64-bit CPU with 2GB RAM and the M8 motion coprocessor, the 8MP rear iSight camera, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and the new Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The iPad Air 2 also gets the barometric pressure sensor added to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The battery is located below the logic board, and this year’s model packs a reduced-capacity 27.62 Wh package, down from the previous 32.9 Wh capacity. Although Apple’s claims of the same 10-hour battery life suggest more efficient power use, it remains to be seen whether this will be the case in practice.

The new Touch ID sensor design closely resembles the sensors found on the new iPhone models, using an NXP chipset. The camera was noted to be different from the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus version, but is also described as a “leap in quality” over the original iPad Air. The main logic board is also glued into the case, with the Lightning connector soldered on, making replacement or repair of the Lightning port a more difficult task. iFixit summarized its report by giving the iPad Air 2 a very low repairability score, due to everything basically being glued together and the fragility of the front display assembly.

Following last week’s launch of the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, the new models are reportedly now available for sale in at least some Apple Retail Stores, and initial shipments have begun arriving for customers who pre-ordered the new models. Unboxing videos have already started appearing from customers in the UK and Australia who have received their pre-ordered devices, and a number of sources are reporting that the new tablets are now available for purchase online and in-store — although strangely, an Apple customer service representative responded to an inquiry stating that the new models are not yet available in-store. During last week’s launch event, Apple announced that pre-orders would begin October 17, but did not specify an actual retail availability date. [via MacRumors]

After being offline for the past several hours, the Apple Store has returned and begun taking iPad pre-orders. When Apple unveiled the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 at yesterday’s event, the company announced that pre-orders would begin today, October 17th. While Apple did not specify at what time pre-orders would begin this time around, products have become available for pre-order as early as 12:01 PT, and pre-orders are usually available by the beginning of the business day. While it is unclear exactly why the Apple Store was down this morning, it seems likely that some technical issues prevented pre-orders from being available as early as Apple would have preferred.

Following yesterday’s release of OS X Yosemite, Apple has released updates to its three iOS iWork apps—Pages, Numbers, and Keynote—adding support for iCloud Drive and the new iOS 8 and Yosemite Handoff feature. The updates also include support for third-party storage providers in iOS 8 and note “updated file formats” that make it easier to send documents via services such as Drobox and Gmail. Additional new features have also been added such as more color options with a custom color mixer in the iPad versions, the ability to take photos and videos directly from within the apps, and accessibility, usability, and language improvements. Keynote also introduces a feature that allows users to pair with nearby iOS devices using Multipeer Connectivity.

Apple has debuted the newest edition of its 7.9” tablet, which it’s calling iPad mini 3. The new iPad mini 3 includes Touch ID, and it comes in silver, space gray, and gold. It notably continues to have an A7 processor, not an A8 or A8X, and does not include any of the wireless or camera upgrades found in the iPad Air 2.

iPad mini 3 starts at $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model, $499 for 64GB, and $599 for 128GB. Cellular + Wi-Fi models add $130 to each model. Like iPad Air 2, preorders for iPad mini 3 start Friday, Oct. 17, and the tablet ships by the end of next week.

Additionally, the former “iPad mini with Retina display” has been renamed “iPad mini 2” to more clearly differentiate it from its predecessor and successor. It will be offered in 16GB ($299/$429) and 32GB ($399/$529) models.

Apple has officially introduced the newest edition of its full-sized tablet today with the debut of iPad Air 2. Touch ID, first seen in iPhone 5s and included within iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, has been added to the tablet. The side switch has been removed, and it appears to have been replaced by another microphone.

iPad Air 2 is 6.1 mm thin, 18 percent thinner than the previous iPad Air. A single-component display reduces internal reflection with a sharper image. The screen also now has an anti-reflective coating, and reflections are reduced by 56 percent.

A new chip, A8X, has been created specifically for iPad Air 2. The second-generation 64-bit architecture chip is 40 percent faster. The GPU is 2.5x faster than iPad Air. iPad Air 2 has 10-hour battery life and an M8 coprocessor that can track elevation and motion.

A new iSight camera has been added to the new Air — an 8MP camera that can shoot 1080p HD video. Burst mode is also available on the iPad Air 2 camera. Slo-mo videos have also been added to video recording — 120 fps at 720p. A new FaceTime camera with an all new sensor has also been included in iPad Air 2 — improved face detection, burst selfies, HDR videos, and single-shot HDR photos are all included.

Faster Wi-Fi — 802.11 ac with MIMO — and faster LTE with 20 LTE bands are featured in iPad Air 2.

iPad Air 2 comes in silver, space gray and gold, and will cost $499 for 16GB Wi-Fi only, $599 for 64GB, and $699 for 128GB. Cellular prices are $130 more for each model.

Pre orders begin Friday, Oct. 17, and the iPad Air 2 will ship next week.

During his introduction of new iPads today, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that 225 million iPads have already been sold—70 million of them in the last 12 months, outstripping the unit sales of any PC manufacturer over the past year. Cook also noted that the product has a 100% customer satisfaction rating, and now has 675,000 iPad-specific apps available.

Following earlier beta releases of iOS 8.1, Apple today formally announced the release of the first point update to September’s iOS 8.0. iOS 8.1 adds support for Apple Pay, the NFC-dependent wireless transaction technology introduced in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as bringing back user-requested features, including the Camera Roll. Apple is also using iOS 8.1 to debut the iCloud Photo Library tied in with the public beta of Photos, the new OS X Yosemite photo management and editing app designed to replace iPhoto and Aperture.

During his introduction of iOS 8.1, Apple’s Craig Federighi also noted that 48% of the installed base are on iOS 8.0 after roughly a month, which sounds low, but is nearly twice as high as the last release of Android after nearly a year. iOS 8.1 will be available on October 20.

Apple Pay, the NFC-dependent wireless transaction technology introduced in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, has been confirmed for an October 20, 2014 launch in the United States. A collection of previously-announced retailers will be the first to have Apple Pay in their stores.

Five hundred additional banks have signed up to support Apple Pay since it was announced, including all of the major networks and a number of major retailers signing on to support by year’s end. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted today that Apple Pay payments can also be made online, not just at retail stores.

Later in the event, Apple also introduced Apple Pay for the iPad Air 2, however, it explicitly omitted any reference to NFC capabilities for in-store purchasing using iPads. The suggestion was that Apple Pay can only be used for iPad online purchases.

Apple’s own iOS 8.1 user guide in the iBookstore reveals screenshots of an iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, both with Touch ID. Additionally, the guide shows a screenshot noting that iPad Air 2 will be able to use Burst Mode when taking photos. Based on the shots, it does appear that Apple will call the devices iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. As the screenshots in the user guide are for iOS 8.1, we’ll likely also see that debut tomorrow, as well. [via 9to5Mac]

Alleged components of Apple’s upcoming second-generation iPad Air were recently posted on Apple.club.tw, with a logic board that shows an A8X chip. While the iPad Air used the same A7 chip found in the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus contain an A8 chip, so it appears Apple will be once again making a separate processor for the iPad. The report also claims that iPad Air 2 will pack 2GB of RAM, as has been rumored. In addition to the logic board, the report also contains shots of the new iPad’s alleged Touch ID button and new display glass cover. Apple is expected to reveal its latest iPads on Thursday, Oct. 16.

Apple is pushing back mass production for its planned larger iPad into early 2015, the Wall Street Journal reports. Sources said the company was prepared to start production this December, but overwhelming demand for the new iPhones has become the top priority. A previous report also claimed that the device would enter production in the first quarter of 2015. It’s still expected that the new iPad — often referred to as “iPad Pro” — will have a 12.9” display. The actual release date for the product is still unknown, especially considering a production timeline that is apparently evolving based on other factors.